Dress form



Feb. 24, 1959 J. S. STODDARD DRESS FORM Filed April 3. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. LTEEEIE. .5. .ETDDARD AT TRNEY Feb- 24, 1959 J. s. sToDDARD 2,874,883

` DRESS FORM Filed April s, 195e 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 'IN1/Ewan. LEEEIE 5. ETUDE/XRD By United States PatentO DRESS FORM Jessie S. Stoddard, Fairfield, Conn. Application April 3, 1956, Serial No. 575,853

4 Claims. (Cl. 223-68) The present invention relates to a dress form, partlcularly for support upon a suitable 'dress form stand, and has for an object to provide a dress form which stimulates the upper torso, particularly the shoulders, chest, waist and hips.

It is particularly proposed to provide a dress form which is exible and at the same time has a substantially solid body structure, so that with proper interior sup port it will provide a form which may be made to con form to a particular desired shape, and at the same time will be sutliciently firm to maintain such shape under fitting and dress making conditions.

To this end it is proposed to provide a dress form constructed of an outer flexible layer, preferably of woven fabric, and which is made to a pattern sized to the particularv shape of the person whose form is being simulated, and an inner liner consisting 'of relatively thick foam rubber sheeting cut to a pattern corresponding to the pattern of the outer layer and having its edges butted and suitably secured, so that the inner lining presents a substantially smooth even thickness reinforeement for the Vouter layer.

It is further proposed to provide stiffening means at the lower edge of the hip section, at the waist, around the neck opening, and around the arm holes, consisting of Wire loops of soft, bendable wire, whereby these areas may be readily conformed to desired shapes.

A further object is to provide a dress form which may be readily engaged or disengaged upon the supporting stand, and to this end it is proposed to provide closure means extending the full length of the back;

A further object is to provide a dress form which when not in use may be compactly folded for convenlent storage.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide an adjustable hip-shape insert adapted for interposition between the hip portion of the flexible dress form and the supporting stand,`the latter preferably of the truncated cone type as disclosed in my co-pending app1ication for Dress Form, Serial Number 549,287 filed November 28, 1955.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed `description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings: Fig. l is a front elevation of the dress form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation; l

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

A Fig. 4 is a view partially rear elevation and partially in vertical section, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; l

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig.4; Y

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a type of supporting form upon which the shoulder and chest portion of the dress form of the invention is adapted to be supported,

the particular supporting form illustrated being of the' type disclosed in my co-pending patent application for Dress Form, Serial Number 563,004 tiled` February 2, 1956; Y

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of an accessory hipshape insert adapted for use with the dress form of the invention; and

Fig. 11 is a front elevation showing the dress form as supported upon a stand of the type as illustrated in my co-pending patent application for Dress Form, Serial Number 549,287 tiled November 28, 1955, and in which the supporting form as shown in Fig. 9 and the accessory hipshape insert as shown in` Fig. 10 are incorporated.

Referring to the drawings, the dress form, according to the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the inven-I tion, comprises generally an outer layer 10 preferably of woven fabric material, and an inner layer 11 of relatively thick, for example one-half inclu foam rubber sheet material, `upon one face of which there is laminateda woven Vfabric backing 12 which, in addition to giving added body and strength to the foam rubber, provides 4means which will receive -securing stitching so-that thelatter will be firmly held with respect to the foam rubber 'f and will not tend to tear the edges of the foam rubber.

The outer layer 10 is cut to a pattern similar to that employed in dress making, and which may be furnished in an approximate size so that the person using the pattern may adapt the size to particular measurements, for example, in the case of a waist measurement or a dart cutout, these may be altered according to well-knownl dress making practice to t the particular person for whom the form is being made.

The outer layer 10 comprises an upper front section 13 having dart cutouts secured along the seam lines 14 at the waist line along the seam line 21, the side edges of the upper front and back sections are secured valong the seam lines 22, the lower front and back sections are; secured along the seam lines 23, and the upper edges,

of the shoulder portions of the front and back sections are secured along the seam lines 24. The front and back sections are provided at each` side with armhole cutouts 25 and 26 which together provide armhole openings, and the upper edges of the upper front and back sections are provided with neck cutouts 27' and 28 whichtogether provide a neck opening.` The several ,seams employed in the outer layer 10 are of the usual plain` or flat machine stitched type.

The foam rubber inner layer 11 consists of a plurality of pieces `of foainrubber sheeting corresponding to the Patented Feb. 24, `1959y 3 Y plurality of pieces making up the sections of the outer layer, and eahhving 'dart cutots Corresponding tothe dart cutouts of the outer layer. The edges of the dart cutouts and the Yadjoining edges of the several sections of the innerlayer areibutte'd and suitably secured, preferably by criss-cross hand stitching 29. The innerlayer is'secure'd'in placeby a woven fabric' neck-band portion 30 secured to the marginal edgeportion of the neck opening ofthe outer'layer along a sea'rnline `31, the neckbandlportion being folded in upon the inner .side ofthe upper neck opening portion ofthe inner layer and secured by criss-cross hand stitching 32- caught into the fabric backing `I2' of theinner layer. `'Within the fold ofthe neclsbandportion 20 and positioned against the upper edgefrof theinnerlayerfis a stitening wire loop .33.

kA wovenufabric-arrnhole band portione is secured along a .seam line 35 `to vthe marginal edge portion of each arnihole opening, andlis felded in upon the inner side of uthe .innerdayer and secured 'by criss-cross hand stitching 36 caught into the fabric backing 12 of theinner lining. KA stiffening Vwire loop `.3'7 4is vpositioned within thefoldof .therband'portionr34 against the edge of .the armhole opening of the inner layer. At the waistband astilening wire loop-38 is interposed between the opposed edges ofthe vupper :and lower sections of `the inner layer, :beinghretainedin place .against the seam 21 Aby the criss-'cross -hand stitching A29 connecting the upper and lower sections of the inner layer and .caught into the fabric backing 12. Thebottorn edge of the inner layer is secu-red by an Iinwardly Yand upwardly turned hem portion 39 of the outer layer `hafvingits edge secured to the inner ylayer by criss=cross hand stitching 40 caught into the `fabric backing-.12.y A stiifening wire `loop 41 is disposedin the 'foldof the hem against the lower edge of the Iinner layer. Y

The meetingedges of `the right and left parts of the back section are adaptedl -to be secured by a zippervfastenerof the usual typeconsisting of a'tpair of tapes d2 and 43 having interlocking tooth formations 44 and 45 secured thereto, a 'slide 46 (Fig. 4) being operable to close or opentheffastener. As .shown clearly in vFig. 8, the Amarginal edges of the back sections are folded in,

as at 47,- andaresecuredby `lines of`stitching'48 and 49' to the `two tape members I42 and'43 of the zipper fastener. These tapesare inlturn secured by tacking stitches 50.and '1Vto the :fabric backing 120i the inner layer 1'1,:'so that the meeting edgesfof the back sections of the inner layer are thus secured relatively to the meeting edgesofithe right and left parts ot .the louter layer.

The vstitening wires il'l `in the case of the arm'noles, are :preferably a continuous loop, `i. e., the'ends of the wires ma-y be slidably overlapped for adjusting thel size of the loopiortheymay be of a fixed size by soldering or otherwise securing the-ends'tog'ether. In thecase ofthe neck, waist .and hemline wires, these have their ends terminating Iadjacent the meeting edges of .the right and left parts of the back sections and, as vshown in Fig. 8 with Irefe'ren'ce to the `hemline, `each of these wires has itsterminal ends curled as at 52 to eliminate sharp ends, as well asl to hold lthe 'wires against shifting. The stifeningv `wires .are preferably `,formed of av soft wire which may be readily -beritto shape `and which will retain the shapefto 'which it is ibent'yso' that the* neck opening, 'armholes-,fwaist vand lliem line may be shaped by the wires todesir'ed f`form`s at these areas 'of the dress form.

The dress "form, according to the invention, provides` a" 'structure Awhich :is `self-sustaining with a minimum amountof 'inferior"support,fso that if 'desired it maybe used without employing a "supporting stand, vsimply by pl'a'engp'aper or other 'suitable substance 4within'the form torn-aimais 'it' against inward distortion `while it 'is Ybeing` used. However, it is preferred'to `support"the dres'sf'orm upo a suitable' dress 'formsuppert A suitable Vsupport forths purpose lis l'the ress'form asdisctos'ed in my eo'- 4 pending application Serial Number 549,287 which, as

S3 supported upon a vertically adjustable tripod stand 54 and having laterally projecting shoulder support arms 55 supported upon a vertically adjustable center rod 56 extending upwardly from the upper end of the body 53.

Upon the shoulder support `arms 55 there may be engaged a dress form support-simulating the shape of the shoulder and chest, and this-formis preferably of the type as disclosed in my copending application Serial Number 563,004. This consists generally of 'aplurality of flexible fiberboard members `57 which have overlapping edges adjustably secured together by fasteners 53. The support 57 is engaged upon-theshoulder vsupport 55 which is adjusted vertically at the proper distance above a given waist line point upon the cone body 53, and the cone body may be adjusted by the tripod stand so that the waist line point is at a desired distance from the floor. The `form'5'7 has front andfre'ar downwardly projecting. stripmemb'ers '59 'and 60"Which`are adapted to lit against the cone member `53 within the waistband -portion of the'dressformsupported thereon. d

The dress form of the invention is fitted upon -the support as shown clearly'in Fig. ll, and in -order-tovill out thehip portion and to give'the 'desired outline shape thereto, a "hip-shape insert, as Vshdwn in Fig. "l0,is preferably engaged vuponthe cone body 53and is itted within the lowerportion of the dr'ess'form. This consists of a truncated 'cone-shaped. band 61 which has overlapping edges provided with perforations 62, by Vmeans of. which the overlapped edges-may-be-secured asfdesir'ed by suitable 'fasteners 63 't'o providea desired circumference. Thisl .band is adapted to be rfirmly engaged upon the truncated cone member 53. Secured to the band 61 are a ipair of flexible breboard members 64 and 65v'having.

overlapped edges Aprovided with perforations 66 and which are -adapted'to be secured in adjusted r'elationto each other and to the band 6 1 by fasteners 677,A so that the members 64 and 65 may'loop out from the bandto any desired extent. -In order to 'give the desired -hip curvature to the members64 and 65,dart cutouts -68are provided, the edges of which areoverlapped and secured at adjustedpositions by fasteners 69. d

A similar rib insert may be provided above the `waist by inverting the position of the members 64 and 3.65 upon the band 61,A the members-64 and 65 being-'secured upon the band 61'so that their lower edges `are substantially at the waist line point, lthis point preferablybeing adjacent the lower end of the band'61, instead Aof adjacent the upper edge as shown in Figs. '-10 and A1---1.l

By having the waist line point substantially midway between the upper and loweredgesof the band, members 64 and 65 may be secured below the waist'line to simulate a hip form and members 64 and 65 `may be secured -irt'v inverted relation above the waistline to simulate a ribV form'.

What is claimed is: l 1

l. A hollow dress contour form comprising a wall having a neck opening in the upper end, arm hole .openings at opposed sides yand an open lower end, said wall consisting of an outer layer comprising piecesL of woven` fabric material, atleastsomeof saidpieceshaving dart cuts, stitched-seams securing the edges of said dart cuts and adjacent edgesof said ,pieces ofmaterial to `give n onat contours to said wall, and an innerlayer formed of.

edges of the neck opening, said arm openings, and said lower open end, said band portions each having an infolded portion engaged upon said inner layer, stitching securing said in-fold band portions to said inner layer, and stiiening wires respectively extending about said neck opening, said arm openings and said open lower end, said wires being respectively disposed Within said infold band portions and butting against the edges of said inner layer extending about said neck opening, said arm openings and said open lower end. Y

2. The invention as deiined in claim 1, further characterized in that said inner layer includes a reinforcing adhered lamination layer of woven fabric material one side of said sheet material and disposed adjacent said outer layer, said stitching securing the butted edges of said pieces of said inner layer also engaging and securing said reinforcing layer.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said form is provided with a vertical split extending between said neck opening and said open lower end, and a zipper fastener for opening and closing said split, said zipper fastener including a pair of tapes, stitched seams securing said tapes to said outer layer at opposite sides of said split, and stitching securing said tape to said inner layer at opposite sides of said split. 1

4. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said form includes a contracted waist portion defined by a stitched seam securing upper` and lower pieces of said outer layer, and stitching securing upper and lower pieces of said inner layer, and a stiffening wire extending about said waist portion inwardly of said outer layer and disposed between the butted edges of said upper and lower pieces of said inner layer.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,447,372 Bailey Mar. 6, 1923 2,510,333 Davis Dec. 6, 1950 2,533,906 Akers Dec. 12, 1950 2,657,843 Wiesner Nov. 3, 1953 

